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The Battle of Saratoga
The turning point in the Revolutionary War
Embarrassing the British
• The defeats at Trenton and Princeton embarrassed the British.– Spring 1777 – The British
wanted to strike back• The British attack the
Patriots at Fort Ticonderoga, Lake Ontario, and New York City– The three armies would
come together at Albany, New York
Delays to Albany
• The British successfully recapture Fort Ticonderoga– Burgoyne was slow in
heading towards Albany
– Colonists had chopped down large trees across his path to slow his progress
– Burgoyne was also greedy• He was travelling with 30 wagons of luxury goods
Delays to Albany
• Attacking Philadelphia– General Howe decided to attack Philadelphia first, before heading towards Albany
– General Howe captures Philadelphia after winning at Brandywine and Paoli
– The Continental Congress flees
Delays to Albany
• Burgoyne runs low on food and supplies– Sends 800 troops and Native Americans to Capture Bennington, Vermont
• The Greene Mountain Boys attack the British at Bennington– Burgoyne flees to Saratoga, New York
Waiting in Saratoga
• Burgoyne was in Saratoga waiting for reinforcements– They never came
• Howe was still in Philadelphia
• St. Leger had been stopped by the Americans at Fort Stanwix
– Burgoyne was on his own
The Battle of Saratoga
• Burgoyne’s troops were badly outnumbered by the Patriots – 3/1– General Horatio Gates –
attacked from the South– Benedict Arnold – attacked
from the North• The British troops were
surrounded• October 17, 1777
– Patriots capture Burgoyne’s entire army
• 5,700 British Soldiers• All their Weapons
Battle of Saratoga ‐Map
The Turning Point in the Revolution
• Great Victory for the Patriots– Capture John Burgoyne– General Howe Resigns– British appoint a new General
• General Henry Clinton
• Morale Booster for the Patriots– Led to increased foreign
support for the Patriots• “This event will make one of
the most brilliant pages of American History.”
– Patriot James Thacher
Gaining Foreign Allies
• European nations realized that the United States might actually win its war against Great Britain.– Some European nations
gave Americans money and supplies but would not committed to an alliance.
– Benjamin Franklin seeks to gain support of the French and Spanish in the Americans’ fight for independence.
France joins the War
• France sees that the Americans will probably win– February 1778 – France and the U.S. form an alliance
– France declares war on Great Britain
– France sends money, equipment, and troops to the American Patriots
Spain joins the War
• Spain joins the war because of their hatred toward Great Britain– 1779 – Spain Declares war on Great Britain
– Bernardo de Gálvez’s ‐raised army against the British
• Captured British troops and Forts in the South
Individuals Support Patriot’s Cause
• Marquis de Lafayette– Wealthy Frenchman– Summer 1777– Spoke little English– Lacked combat experience– Gave $200,000 to the
Patriots– Becomes a trusted aid to
Washington
• “The welfare of America is closely bound up with the welfare of mankind.”
The Americans were on their way to Independence